Originally published at: https://boingboing.net/2019/05/08/review-american-standard-7351.html
Functional yet curiously suspect
9 Likes
This is what Amazon has done to me: I question and assume that basically every purchase I make on it might show up as a counterfeit and thereās not much I can do if that happens.
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Is it just me or has BBS Store product placement ads really gone down the shitter?
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Yes, an affiliate link on a negative review in a blog for a toilet tank lid is weird right?
Did he decide to write about the toilet to have some linkable content? Was this written by a nefarious AI? It is my understanding that even if I do not buy the product in question the good old boingityboing gets a vig on other purchases I might make. should I start a blog ragging on amazn products with affiliate links to get commissions on non shitty ones?
And yes, amazon is definitely selling counterfeit toilet tank lids.
9 Likes
I got some awful fake iphone earbuds and when I went to check out the original listing I saw all these fake reviews on itā¦ they didnāt even try - the reviews were all obviously written for completely different products but added up to hundreds of positive review (which was why I made the initial purchase). I reported the product and the listing disappeared only to have more just like it pop up. Amazon has a serious problem that it seems like they could fix with a bit of good authentication on the part of sellersā¦ this was something coming from prime by the way. So like maybe initially sold by a third party but coming from an amazon warehouse.
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This is correct. If you click the link, Iāll get a cut of everything you buy on Amazon for 24 hours. So I donāt expect or even hope anyone will buy the linked item; just that they are curious enough to go read its reviews or whatever.
Whatās shocking is I know that people will buy it. Out of sheer perversity or derangement. I will check the sales at the end of the month and some people will have bought this thing and Iāll have made like $8 in commissions from it and I will know that when the annihilation comes I will deserve my fate in whatever godless void comes after.
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The Aqueducts have finally met their civilization challenger: Amazon
Made in Mexico. Knocked off in China. Stolen toilet technology ready for underpaid labor and being slapped with tariffs. Definitely the standard to which America is currently holding.
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Report back!
It would be really interesting to know how true the āall publicity is good publicityā maxim is.
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Actually I think it may actually be a genuine American Standard toilet tank lid, as American Standards have fallen so far. All products seem to be going down the toilet as far as quality is concerned. Over the last few years:
- ten year old faucet chrome surface has corroded with pinholes
- two year old Frigidaire dehumidifier failed
- baby scale (used for our cats) died after less than a year
- same brand of socks Iāve bought for decades now wear out a lot faster
- A UPS I bought a while back failed immediately
Etc., etc. Even toilet paper has degraded significantly. In the basement bathroom, we have a package of the same brand as upstairs. We donāt use that bathroom for #2 much, so that package is about 10 years old. The old stuff is MUCH softer than the new TP we get upstairs.
Basically I think we are all being trained to accept cheaper and cheaper (i.e., Walmart-grade) products, so the companies can make more and more $$$.
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You are strictly a net positive to the joy in this universe. You can get stuffed if you think otherwise.
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or we are at the point where even toilets are bootlegged
Well, everything else is, including bathroom fixtures. So yeah, Iād say weāre at that point.
Though it may have actually been a counterfeit faucetā¦
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Also canāt you just get @markfrauenfelder to make you one that has additional stuff and functions.
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Considering that toilets are really just large ceramics projects that are fired and shrink in the process itās not terribly surprising that only the lid shipped with the unit would fit properly. It may be test fit and hand adjusted at the factory or it may just be discrepancies in the molds. Besides, donāt you know that as a good red blooded American youāre supposed to trash everything that breaks? No one who really loves 'merica fixes stuff anymore.
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If you canāt have a Fergason, I guess this is the next best thing.
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Isnāt the affiliate part of the link inserted automatically on your end. I.e., itās not like you could have not had the affiliation (at least easily).
Itās not usually automatic. In most posts, we generally cook our own links. On things like gift guides, we rig it to generate links with the āhouseā code automatically so the company benefits instead of individual contributors.
I wonāt affiliate-link to certain things, even if a courtesy link of some kind is warranted. Far-right authors and their books, that sort of thing.
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Amazon probably doesnāt care, they already donāt have to pay taxes. Why should they care if some of their products are counterfeit?
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Ok, fess up, which of you deranged perverts bought this ill fitting knock off toilet lid?
I already have a few in mind.
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I imagine itās really aggravating each time you put the seat up and rest it against the off-kilter lid.
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